Stags still seek new faces as table-topping Scunthorpe head for Mansfield

Adam Murray.

Published:14:01Updated:14:42Thursday 09 January 2014

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Mansfield Town continue to work hard to bring in players in the current transfer window – but assistant manager Adam Murray said he couldn’t promise anything would materialise in time for Saturday’s visit of League Two leaders Scunthorpe United (3pm).

But at least the Stags have completed one good piece of business by signing on-loan Sheffield United defender for the rest of the season.

“There is a lot of talking going on at the minute but nothing concrete as yet,” said Murray.

“The gaffer went to watch a match yesterday to run an eye over one or two players.

“I know fans want to see movement quickly. But it’s a patience game at the minute. They have to be the right players. We don’t want someone who doesn’t fit into the group.

“We know we are missing that bit of X-factor in key areas which makes the difference in tight games.

“We all know how in this crazy game an hour is a long time. So it wouldn’t be right to say yes or no as to if we will get someone in for the weekend.

“We are not sitting on our backsides. But I don’t want to say we are about to sign X,Y, Z as people get poached very quickly.”

However, Murray was delighted the Westlake deal had been sorted and said: “Darryl has shown everyone what he is about. He is a great lad and slotted into the team spirit on and off the park.

“You can see he has that bit of extra X-factor that having a bit of Football League experience gives you. He is a very intelligent player as well as having great ability.

“Darryl has made a big difference to the team. There are a lot of undiscovered gems out there. It is finding the right ones that will bring something to our team.”

Murray was full of praise for the side’s defending under intense pressure as the home side threw everything but the kitchen sink at them in last weekend’s 1-0 win at Exeter.

He said: “It was like deep sea diving – we couldn’t have gone any deeper. But we can’t keep playing the last 20 minutes with six goalkeepers.

“Our desire to not concede at the end of games has been tremendous, but we now have to start imposing ourselves more on other teams.”

Tomorrow Stags will be looking for their first home win in 10 games in all competitions against a side that has won six and drawn two of their last eight games and beat Mansfield 2-0 at home on the opening day of the season.

The Iron will be roared on by between 1,000 and 1,200 fans.

The last times the sides met at Mansfield was back in February 2005 when an Adam Murray goal was all that was needed for a 1-0 win that knocked leaders Scunthorpe off top spot. So Stags will be hoping lighting strikes twice.

“That makes me feel old, though I do hear he was a decent player,” he smiled.

“Scunthorpe are a good team with great experience at Football League level in the squad.

“They have some good young players and a mix of experience in there too. I know some of their boys and they are a high. They are not top for no reason.

“But we can go into the game full of confidence after our last few results.

“It’s been a comedown for us this week after the last couple of weeks with so many games and having kids at Christmas. When it’s 4000mph, you don’t realise how much you put into it, not just on the pitch but mentally and with all the travelling as well.”